Theo Benedet (born October 12, 2001) is a Canadian professional football offensive tackle for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played U Sports football for the UBC Thunderbirds.
| No. 62 – Chicago Bears | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Offensive tackle |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | October 12, 2001 Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Height: | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
| Weight: | 305 lb (138 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Handsworth Secondary School |
| University: | UBC (2019–2023) |
| CFL draft: | 2024 / round: 2 / pick: 15 |
| Undrafted: | 2024 |
| Career history | |
| |
| * Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |
| Roster status: | Practice squad |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Player stats at PFR | |
Early life
editBenedet was born in Toronto, Ontario and grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia. He attended Handsworth Secondary School.[1][2] He grew up a fan of the BC Lions but did not compete at football seriously until he was in 10th grade at Handsworth.[3] He committed to play U Sports football for the University of British Columbia (UBC) Thunderbirds.[3]
University career
editBenedet immediately became a starter on the offensive line for UBC as a first year in 2019.[4] The 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[5] He appeared in seven games during the 2021 season.[6] In 2022, he was named first-team All-Canadian and was the winner of the J. P. Metras Trophy for best lineman nationally, helping the team have one of the best U Sports rushing offences along with reaching their first Hardy Cup in four years.[7] He was the only U Sports player selected to the 2023 East–West Shrine Bowl.[8] Although projected to be a top pick in the 2023 CFL draft along with fellow UBC offensive lineman Giovanni Manu, they both opted to return for a final season.[9] In 2023, Benedet repeated as a first-team All-Canadian selection and as the winner of the J. P. Metras Trophy, becoming the first offensive lineman to win the trophy twice in a row; he also helped the Thunderbirds reach the Vanier Cup for the first time since 2015.[10]
Professional career
edit| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
295 lb (134 kg) |
32+1⁄8 in (0.82 m) |
9+3⁄4 in (0.25 m) |
5.16 s | 1.77 s | 3.01 s | 4.60 s | 7.69 s | 34.5 in (0.88 m) |
9 ft 6 in (2.90 m) |
23 reps | |
| All values from Pro Day[11] | ||||||||||||
Benedet was invited to the College Gridiron Showcase.[10] In addition to being projected as a top pick for the 2024 CFL draft, he also received attention as a potential selection in the 2024 NFL draft.[12] He was not selected in the NFL draft, but later signed with the Chicago Bears as a undrafted free agent.[13][14] Benedet was later drafted in the second round (15th overall) by the BC Lions in the 2024 CFL draft.[15] He was waived on August 27, and re-signed to the practice squad.[16][17]
References
edit- ^ Karchut, Elizabeth (February 1, 2019). "Commits believe UBC a 'premier program'". Canada Football Chat. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
- ^ "NFL Draft Profile: Theo Benedet, Offensive Lineman, British Columbia Thunderbirds". Sports Illustrated. January 28, 2023.
- ^ a b Gumboc, Annaliese (April 25, 2024). "The NFL has never drafted a player straight from UBC. Giovanni Manu and Theo Benedet could change that". The Ubyssey.
- ^ Ralph, Dan (January 31, 2024). "UBC's Benedet still feeling the anguish of Vanier Cup loss". The Vancouver Sun. The Canadian Press. p. N11 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Ewen, Steve (January 28, 2023). "Top UBC offensive linemen run reverse play, opting out of CFL draft for another T-Bird season". The Province.
- ^ "Theo Benedet". UBC Thunderbirds.
- ^ Prest, Andy (January 29, 2023). "North Van football player earns trip to prestigious East-West Shrine Bowl". North Shore News.
- ^ Abbott, JC (January 27, 2024). "2024 CFL Draft profiles: UBC offensive lineman Theo Benedet aiming to be first NFL pick from U Sports since 2016". 3DownNation.com.
- ^ Abbott, JC (January 19, 2023). "UBC offensive lineman Theo Benedet selected to East-West Shrine Bowl". 3DownNation.com.
- ^ a b "UBC lineman Benedet top-ranked Canadian university player on CFL winter scouting list". The Sports Network. The Canadian Press. January 25, 2024.
- ^ "Theo Benedet College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
- ^ Ewen, Steve (April 25, 2024). "UBC has never had a player picked in the NFL Draft — could they have two by the end of the weekend?". The Province.
- ^ Dunk, Justin (April 27, 2024). "University of British Columbia OL Theo Benedet signs NFL undrafted free agent contract with Chicago Bears: sources". 3DownNation.com. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
- ^ Mayer, Larry (May 9, 2024). "Roster Moves: Bears agree to terms with nine undrafted rookie free agents". ChicagoBears.com.
- ^ Baker, Matt (April 30, 2024). "Lions Select Eight Prospects In 2024 CFL Draft". BC Lions.
- ^ Mayer, Larry (August 27, 2024). "Roster Moves: Bears reach 53-man roster limit". ChicagoBears.com.
- ^ Mayer, Larry (August 28, 2024). "Roster Moves: Bears sign players to practice squad". ChicagoBears.com.
